Team,
Sorry it has taken so long for us to provide an update lately. We have been working hard to get a newsletter format together and we've finally sent out our first newsletter via email & snail-mail (please let us know if you don't receive one, so we can add you to the distribution list). We're still learning... so if you have ideas of how we can improve it please let us know.
Ultimately, the goal is to (1) bring glory to God's name by telling you about what He's doing with us as a team, (2) fill you in on the latest details, and (3) equip you as a team member for ministry... and, oh yes, (4) have a little fun from time to time.
In the meantime, if you missed it, you can download the PDF version by clicking on the following link: June 2007 Newsletter
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Side Note - May 2007 - Everlasting God
I'm sitting here at my computer... it's mid-morning on Sunday, and we are preparing for our family devotional time. As I seek God's lead for our little bible lesson time that we do in between singing a worship song and praying, I am listening to Chris Tomlin's song called "Everlasting God". The words to the song come straight from Isaiah 40:28-31.
"28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
Anyhow, the past month has been quite the marathon. Between the dance performances; special services at church (for which I assist or lead with worship); visits to the Young Saeng Korean Church (as mentioned below); sending out the latest round of prayer letters; meeting with Pastors, friends, family; medical physicals for our work visas; fixing up the house to get it ready to sell; assisting a young mother who needs us to watch her child while she's in the hospital for a long stay; and staying up late last night with some friends at our house... I am tired. And this morning, a call from my mom that reminds me of my dad's health struggles. I am weary.
BUT (and don't you love that in God the story doesn't stop there at my last paragraph) - my God is strong. The Bible tells us that in our weakness God shows His strength. We may be tired, we may be weary, but God's glory shines around and brightens up the path. "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength". My strength needs a little renewing right now. That's a GREAT place to be. When that refreshing wave of God's power washes over me, that just simply FEELS SOOOOOO GOOD! When I find that God is carrying me with His strength is when I think I experience His touch the fullest. So, I rejoice in the struggles... I look forward to being worn out and tired. That's when I can most easily say that "I will decrease, that He may increase".
So, this morning, I think we'll just sit back and enjoy our Everlasting God as a family. He is good.
"28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."
- ISAIAH 40:28-31 (NIV)
How appropriate for this time. Even the young folk get tired? Though 33, I feel like an old man right now. A really really old man. Must be that pain in every joint I feel after playing soccer (aka "football") yesterday like I was 15 again. I'm not.Anyhow, the past month has been quite the marathon. Between the dance performances; special services at church (for which I assist or lead with worship); visits to the Young Saeng Korean Church (as mentioned below); sending out the latest round of prayer letters; meeting with Pastors, friends, family; medical physicals for our work visas; fixing up the house to get it ready to sell; assisting a young mother who needs us to watch her child while she's in the hospital for a long stay; and staying up late last night with some friends at our house... I am tired. And this morning, a call from my mom that reminds me of my dad's health struggles. I am weary.
BUT (and don't you love that in God the story doesn't stop there at my last paragraph) - my God is strong. The Bible tells us that in our weakness God shows His strength. We may be tired, we may be weary, but God's glory shines around and brightens up the path. "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength". My strength needs a little renewing right now. That's a GREAT place to be. When that refreshing wave of God's power washes over me, that just simply FEELS SOOOOOO GOOD! When I find that God is carrying me with His strength is when I think I experience His touch the fullest. So, I rejoice in the struggles... I look forward to being worn out and tired. That's when I can most easily say that "I will decrease, that He may increase".
So, this morning, I think we'll just sit back and enjoy our Everlasting God as a family. He is good.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Update - April 2007
So, speaking of trusting Him, here's what we've been trusting God to lead us through lately:
(1) Our Visa applications and associated paperwork, physicals, etc. We are neck deep in getting those filled out and submitted. In fact, I just had my physical on Friday. Good news... I'm alive. :-)
(2) Info Packet - we've put together a packet of information about our family, our mission/vision, AIM, and the Whats, Wheres, Whos, and Hows of things. This portfolio-style packet of details is meant to give to Pastors, group leaders, and others who might consider supporting us through prayer and resources. If you'd like a packet for yourself, or would consider helping us by bringing the packet to a pastor or group leader for consideration, please email us and let us know. We appreciate your prayerful consideration with regards to helping us in this manner. To see a preview, click here.
(3) Cross-cultural Assignment - One of the things that AIM asks its missionaries to do while preparing to go to Africa is to gain experience in cross-cultural settings. This should, for example, give a person some insight into their own ability to relate and adapt in healthy manners to the differences between cultures. For this assignment we chose to visit a Korean Presbyterian church in our area several times. Yesterday (Sunday) was a our first visit to the church. They were amazingly loving and warm, and received us with open arms as participants. We were humbled by their welcoming reception, though certainly not surprised. We will need to visit there again at least four more times to complete this "assignment". That won't be a problem. In fact, since their service times are different from my own congregation, I actually think our pastor (who's also acting as a coach during this time of preparation), might bring his family as well. So far, this is fun. :-)
(4) Presentation Opportunities - we have been asked to give a presentation before a combined service with three congregations present. The exact date isn't nailed down yet, but Lord willing it should happen within the next couple months. Other opportunities are on the horizon, and we hope to have a list of our "engagements" to post soon.
Please pray with us on the development of the support team. I believe that the Lord is developing our support team in our very midst. The greatest testimony of this has been that, by and large, we haven't asked for a single thing from anyone except prayer and yet a great deal more has been given or pledged. We continue to believe that the source of needed provisions MUST be God and God alone. If someone chooses to support us, we believe that it's best when done out of obedience to the Lord. That said, if you feel that the Lord has asked you to be a part of what we're doing, we would love to speak with you further. Furthermore, you can download a copy of our pledge card to print out by clicking here.
Be Blessed in Jesus' Name!!!
(1) Our Visa applications and associated paperwork, physicals, etc. We are neck deep in getting those filled out and submitted. In fact, I just had my physical on Friday. Good news... I'm alive. :-)
(2) Info Packet - we've put together a packet of information about our family, our mission/vision, AIM, and the Whats, Wheres, Whos, and Hows of things. This portfolio-style packet of details is meant to give to Pastors, group leaders, and others who might consider supporting us through prayer and resources. If you'd like a packet for yourself, or would consider helping us by bringing the packet to a pastor or group leader for consideration, please email us and let us know. We appreciate your prayerful consideration with regards to helping us in this manner. To see a preview, click here.
(3) Cross-cultural Assignment - One of the things that AIM asks its missionaries to do while preparing to go to Africa is to gain experience in cross-cultural settings. This should, for example, give a person some insight into their own ability to relate and adapt in healthy manners to the differences between cultures. For this assignment we chose to visit a Korean Presbyterian church in our area several times. Yesterday (Sunday) was a our first visit to the church. They were amazingly loving and warm, and received us with open arms as participants. We were humbled by their welcoming reception, though certainly not surprised. We will need to visit there again at least four more times to complete this "assignment". That won't be a problem. In fact, since their service times are different from my own congregation, I actually think our pastor (who's also acting as a coach during this time of preparation), might bring his family as well. So far, this is fun. :-)
(4) Presentation Opportunities - we have been asked to give a presentation before a combined service with three congregations present. The exact date isn't nailed down yet, but Lord willing it should happen within the next couple months. Other opportunities are on the horizon, and we hope to have a list of our "engagements" to post soon.
Please pray with us on the development of the support team. I believe that the Lord is developing our support team in our very midst. The greatest testimony of this has been that, by and large, we haven't asked for a single thing from anyone except prayer and yet a great deal more has been given or pledged. We continue to believe that the source of needed provisions MUST be God and God alone. If someone chooses to support us, we believe that it's best when done out of obedience to the Lord. That said, if you feel that the Lord has asked you to be a part of what we're doing, we would love to speak with you further. Furthermore, you can download a copy of our pledge card to print out by clicking here.
Be Blessed in Jesus' Name!!!
Side Note - April 2007 - Listen and Trust
Have you had the chance to hear from God in a way that is clear and decisive? I have spoken with many a believer who would say "no" to that question. Though the Word of God says that the sheep know the shepherds voice (paraphrased from John 10: 1-4), I also know that many true believers are confused as to how to hear from God. Usually, unless an angel manifests and speaks to someone, we tend to wander without direction, saying things like "if only I knew what God wanted out of my life" and "I really want to (fill in the blank) but I don't know if God wants me to".
That said, there is nothing more freeing than getting insight into the purpose for which you were designed and crafted by God. Even more freeing is when you realize that if you are truly surrendered to God, that the Holy Spirit will act as your guide. No need to feel timid and insecure - afraid to take a step for fear that you will somehow bypass God's will. See Jonah: Old Testament. Make your plans, and God will direct your steps (Proverbs 16:9).
In the recent weeks Karrie and I have been praying all the more that God's plans for us in Namibia would become clearer and more defined. We believe it important to be able to answer people's questions about what we will be doing with the orphaned and traumatized children there. While there have been times in the past where God has chosen not to explain His intentions, He has been loud and clear recently. Without a doubt, the voice of God has spoken, and the Word we have received from Him is "trust me". Actually, the way it sounded to me was, "Steve - when you get as smart as Me, then you can question what I'm doing". That's just how the Lord speaks to me. I laughed in joy, because God knows how to keep me focused. I'm grateful for that.
Anyhow... "Trust me"... simple and yet profound. This is certainly not a new concept for us, but it seems that the words have new meaning each time we hear them. We KNOW God's will for us because we listen to His voice and have become familiar with the manner and method of His speech. We DO His will, regardless of circumstances, because we trust Him.
Team -> do you trust Him? Do you know what to trust Him for? If there's anyway that we can pray with you on this issue - or any other issue for that matter - please let us know. Our email address is reachnamibia@yahoo.com
That said, there is nothing more freeing than getting insight into the purpose for which you were designed and crafted by God. Even more freeing is when you realize that if you are truly surrendered to God, that the Holy Spirit will act as your guide. No need to feel timid and insecure - afraid to take a step for fear that you will somehow bypass God's will. See Jonah: Old Testament. Make your plans, and God will direct your steps (Proverbs 16:9).
In the recent weeks Karrie and I have been praying all the more that God's plans for us in Namibia would become clearer and more defined. We believe it important to be able to answer people's questions about what we will be doing with the orphaned and traumatized children there. While there have been times in the past where God has chosen not to explain His intentions, He has been loud and clear recently. Without a doubt, the voice of God has spoken, and the Word we have received from Him is "trust me". Actually, the way it sounded to me was, "Steve - when you get as smart as Me, then you can question what I'm doing". That's just how the Lord speaks to me. I laughed in joy, because God knows how to keep me focused. I'm grateful for that.
Anyhow... "Trust me"... simple and yet profound. This is certainly not a new concept for us, but it seems that the words have new meaning each time we hear them. We KNOW God's will for us because we listen to His voice and have become familiar with the manner and method of His speech. We DO His will, regardless of circumstances, because we trust Him.
Team -> do you trust Him? Do you know what to trust Him for? If there's anyway that we can pray with you on this issue - or any other issue for that matter - please let us know. Our email address is reachnamibia@yahoo.com
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Update - March 21
We had an awesome time this past Sunday, as we had the opportunity to share a presentation of AIM, Hopes Promise, and ourselves with our home church. Our primary goal was to build vision for reaching the peoples of Africa - and more specifically the peoples of Namibia - for Christ. Subsequent to that was our hope that our home church would be a the real basis (root) of our support team. Here are some of the real exciting things that came out of that time:
- We received an offer from a family to stay/live in their house during furlough times and if we need to sell our house here in VA before we move oversees
- A wonderfully sweet woman (a Christian from Lebanon) gave towards our outgoing funds and expressed her deep passion for children in need, stating that she just "can't let little children go hungry". We knew exactly what she meant.
- We received confirmation from a wise professional in our congregation that he will voluntarily meet with us several times this year to fulfill one of the preparation requirements from AIM. This particular requirement is fairly hefty, and this is an answer to prayer.
- We saw God supply pledges and funds enough to cover over 40% of our Outgoing Funds needs.
- We received an email from a woman who asked for us to supply our prayer requests to her so she could pray for us every Friday.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
When?
So, when are we moving to Namibia?
While we wish it was happening tomorrow, our target at this time is January 2008.
Why January 2008? Because our move will need to coincide with the "Africa-Based Orientation" that happens for all missionaries with Africa Inland Missions that is scheduled. Why not sooner? Because we will need to use the time between now and then to prepare (build Support Team, get our kids their passports, visas, etc.) And, BTW, the Africa-Based Orientation happens in Kenya (where our son is from!!!).
While we wish it was happening tomorrow, our target at this time is January 2008.
Why January 2008? Because our move will need to coincide with the "Africa-Based Orientation" that happens for all missionaries with Africa Inland Missions that is scheduled. Why not sooner? Because we will need to use the time between now and then to prepare (build Support Team, get our kids their passports, visas, etc.) And, BTW, the Africa-Based Orientation happens in Kenya (where our son is from!!!).
Where?
So, where are we going?
To Arandis, Namibia - in the southern portion of Africa, right above South Africa. The following information was provided by Hopes Promise Orphan Ministry:
"Arandis is a rural town with a population of under 5,000. 65% of the town is employed by the Rössing Uranium Mine or entities that exist to support the mine and its employees.The town was built in the middle of the desert 60kms from theAtlantic Ocean by Rössing to support the mine. Since 1990 the town has been in the hands of the community. Over the past 15 years there has been a deterioration within the infrastructure of Arandis including in the schools. Though we do not know the exact amount of orphans and vulnerable children living in Arandis it is anticipated that this town fits into the general Namibia
To Arandis, Namibia - in the southern portion of Africa, right above South Africa. The following information was provided by Hopes Promise Orphan Ministry:
"Arandis is a rural town with a population of under 5,000. 65% of the town is employed by the Rössing Uranium Mine or entities that exist to support the mine and its employees.The town was built in the middle of the desert 60kms from the
What?
So what is it that we plan to do in Namibia?
As missionaries with Africa Inland Missions, we are targeting to work with Hopes Promise Orphan Ministry in Arandis, Namibia. We will be part of the educational arm of this ministry that reaches the "orphan and widow in their distress" (James 1:27) by way of Foster Care, Adoption, Education, Crisis Pregnancy counseling and assistance, Scholarships, and by providing basic needs for orphans and unwed mothers. This is intended to be a long-term ministry.
As missionaries with Africa Inland Missions, we are targeting to work with Hopes Promise Orphan Ministry in Arandis, Namibia. We will be part of the educational arm of this ministry that reaches the "orphan and widow in their distress" (James 1:27) by way of Foster Care, Adoption, Education, Crisis Pregnancy counseling and assistance, Scholarships, and by providing basic needs for orphans and unwed mothers. This is intended to be a long-term ministry.
How? - Reach Namibia Support Team
We have had many questions asked of us regarding our support team and support needs. We look forward to speaking with each person who feels drawn by God to support this ministry. If you feel the desire to be a part of this ministry, then there are several ways to do so:
(1) PRAYER SUPPORT: First and foremost you can offer your prayer support. This is an undertaking that must happen primarily in the supernatural. Our battle is not against flesh and blood... and the blessing that we hope this ministry to be must transcend the natural or it will only be temporary!
(2) SERVICE SUPPORT: It is not possible for our move and eventual ministry to happen without a lot of hands-on, detailed preparation. There are many ways in which a person can be a part of this mission by giving of their time. Whether it be through assisting in correspondence, phone calls, photography, graphics help, spreading the vision, etc. - we believe that God does not intend us to go this alone. For one thing, we are praying for God to reveal the right person to be our "Timothy in Preparation" Coach. We need a mature believer to help oversee our spiritual and cultural preparation activities - much like a coach for a sports team would give guidance, direction, and wise counsel. While we have many potential "coaches", we are praying that God will make that connection so we get the greatest benefit out of such relationship.
(3) RESOURCE SUPPORT: To build a team of like-minded and like-hearted people who want to give towards God's purposes is an awesome blessing for us. We have had a blast already in seeing how God will move on people's hearts to give something of material value so that we can be economically able to give ourselves in service to the Lord. Team members who feel drawn to provide in a financial manner are encouraged to contact us to receive a pledge card and instructions on how to provide financial support towards this mission. Our email address is reachnamibia@yahoo.com . If you have already received instructions and wish to give online through Africa Inland Mission's website, please visit the following link: https://www.aimint.org/usa/online_giving.html
It is NOT our hope that this website/blog takes the place of our personal communication with Reach-Namibia Team Members. It would bless us greatly if you took the time to email us with your contact information so we can share of ourselves and stay in contact on a personal level. If you wish to support this ministry, or if you have questions please email us at (once again): reachnamibia@yahoo.com
(1) PRAYER SUPPORT: First and foremost you can offer your prayer support. This is an undertaking that must happen primarily in the supernatural. Our battle is not against flesh and blood... and the blessing that we hope this ministry to be must transcend the natural or it will only be temporary!
(2) SERVICE SUPPORT: It is not possible for our move and eventual ministry to happen without a lot of hands-on, detailed preparation. There are many ways in which a person can be a part of this mission by giving of their time. Whether it be through assisting in correspondence, phone calls, photography, graphics help, spreading the vision, etc. - we believe that God does not intend us to go this alone. For one thing, we are praying for God to reveal the right person to be our "Timothy in Preparation" Coach. We need a mature believer to help oversee our spiritual and cultural preparation activities - much like a coach for a sports team would give guidance, direction, and wise counsel. While we have many potential "coaches", we are praying that God will make that connection so we get the greatest benefit out of such relationship.
(3) RESOURCE SUPPORT: To build a team of like-minded and like-hearted people who want to give towards God's purposes is an awesome blessing for us. We have had a blast already in seeing how God will move on people's hearts to give something of material value so that we can be economically able to give ourselves in service to the Lord. Team members who feel drawn to provide in a financial manner are encouraged to contact us to receive a pledge card and instructions on how to provide financial support towards this mission. Our email address is reachnamibia@yahoo.com . If you have already received instructions and wish to give online through Africa Inland Mission's website, please visit the following link: https://www.aimint.org/usa/online_giving.html
It is NOT our hope that this website/blog takes the place of our personal communication with Reach-Namibia Team Members. It would bless us greatly if you took the time to email us with your contact information so we can share of ourselves and stay in contact on a personal level. If you wish to support this ministry, or if you have questions please email us at (once again): reachnamibia@yahoo.com
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Welcome to ReachNamibia.com
Welcome to our web site. We intend to use this site to provide updates, prayer requests, and details with regards to our move to Namibia. We are currently targeting a move to Namibia in January 2008 to work with orphaned, abused, and traumatized children, to bring them the love and hope of Jesus Christ.
We will provide more information and details as soon as they become available.
We will provide more information and details as soon as they become available.
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